Daniel Santee laid to rest

After a friend died in Iraq, Daniel Santee felt the need to join the Marines. The Mission Viejo man wanted to take his friend's place.

Nearly two years later, Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Santee, 21, suffered a similar fate when he was riding as a gunner on top of a Humvee in Iraq. An irregularity in the road caused the Humvee to roll over, killing him April 14.

"Danny is in a heavenly Marine unit," said his mother, Catherine. "He has been deployed to heaven."

More than 100 family members, friends, law enforcement officials, and the military gathered Monday for a funeral held for Santee at Newport Mesa Church in Costa Mesa. Friends remembered Santee's spontaneity, loyalty and desire to be a Marine and serve his country.

"Danny built up a legacy in 21 years that most of us could not do in 80 years," said Pastor Tom Gastil of Aliso Creek Presbyterian Church, who knew Santee when he was a child.

Cameron Korta, Santee's neighbor, said he was many things to many people – brother, friend, son, boyfriend. "He was willing to do anything for anyone," Korta said, while fighting back tears.

Santee's father, Burt, is a former member of the Costa Mesa Police Department, and Santee was a former intern of the Costa Mesa Fire Department. Many public safety personnel paid their final respects.

"We have to thank God for men like Danny," said Tony Yannizzi of the Costa Mesa Police Department. "He paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Yannizzi told mourners why he thought Santee was destined to be a Marine. He talked about a two-year-old Santee scaling the side of his crib, climbing through a window, ending up on the roof of the house. Santee, in his younger years, even climbed up the utility pole across the street from his home and the Fire Department had to get him down.

"He was a high energy kid, always thinking outside of the box," said Yannizzi.

Six members of the 4th Marine Division from the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, were the pallbearers, led by 1st Sergeant Joseph Mascarenaz. During the service, Mascarenaz presented Santee family their son's Good Conduct and Service Award.

A funeral procession to Pacific View Memorial Park, in Newport Beach, followed the service.

A Marine firing squad gave the traditional 21-gun salute as the U.S. flag was taken off the coffin at the burial.

Two of the Marines presented the flag that was draped over Santee's coffin to his parents. Family members, saying their final farewells, approached the grave one by one and threw roses on the casket.

Santee's father clutched the flag against his chest and knelt over open grave as cemetery workers began to lower the coffin.

Sobbing as he held his hand to his face he watched his son's casket descend into the ground.

From the Orange County Register